Does the bob trend reflect a boost in our economy?

UK economists suggest that shorter hair styles grow more popular as the economy improves

If we had to name one hair trend this Spring then short hair would definitely be it. George Northwood recently cut Rosie Huntington Whiteley’s luscious long locks into a long bob (a.k.a the LOB), before Kim K turned to the bleach she also embraced a shorter 'do and on red carpets everywhere everyone from Scarlet to Sienna has been sporting shorter styles. The reason they are all going for the chop? Not just a beauty trend but supposedly a cultural indicator of better times ahead.

We are all familiar with the Lipstick Index (the term coined by Leonard Lauder in 2000 noting that in times of economic uncertainty lipstick sales increase) but now The Sunday Times has reported that hair trends can also reflect the state of the economy and shorter styles signify periods of wealth. When you think about it the logic is quite obvious: in times of prosperity people feel more committed to high maintenance hair styles (short ‘dos often take work) which demands more trips to the hairdressers and more products in the shopping basket.

Stuart Phillips, hairdresser to the stars, thinks there is a definite link between the trend and an economic upturn. Phillips has noticed this in his salons practicality, commenting: “I meet people on a daily basis and they seem to be spending far more money on their hair. Products are flying off the shelf, more than they used to - even a few months ago”.

Fiona Minors, programme director of fashion image at London College of Fashion agrees: “Often when people make drastic cuts it’s about new times in their life, new periods involving either austerity or being more affluent. There is definitely something going on.”

Will you be embracing a shorter style this Spring? It appears you should be able to afford it...

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